Saudia Arabia has told global warming talks that trust in climate science had been 'shaken' by leaked emails among experts and called for an international probe.

'The level of trust is definitely shaken, especially now that we are about to conclude an agreement that ... is going to mean sacrifices for our economies,' top Saudi climate negotiator Mohammed Al Sabban was quoted as saying in a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

Al Sabbam was speaking to delegates at the opening of the biggest climate talks in history that continue until December 18.

The conference opened with a stark UN warning about risks of rising seas and desertification and a message of hope by hosts Denmark that a deal to combat climate change was 'within reach'

Al Sabban called for an 'independent' international investigation, but said that the UN climate science body was unqualified to carry it out.

'The IPCC, which is the authority accused, is not going to be able to conduct the probe,' he said, referring to the Nobel-winning UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change. – TradeArabia News Service